That's great news, and puts to rest all fears that Indyfans had seen the last of their hero -- now let's just hope the flesh and blood version rears his head again!

Source: TotalVideoGames.com and SpikeTV

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

IGN has heard from multiple sources (both internally at LucasArts and elsewhere) involved in the long-in-development Indiana Jones title for Xbox 360 and PS3 that the game has been cancelled. Unofficially we've heard that developers are being reallocated to other projects and that the new Indiana Jones project that we last reported on in April 2006 is dead in the water.

If true, this should come as no real surprise as the game has gone dark for nearly the last three years, and with its total absence at last year's E3, this seemed like it was only a matter of time.

If it is indeed true, it is a sad day for Indy gamers -- Here's hoping LEGO Indy 2 is still alive and kicking!

UPDATE: Gaming site Joystiq has published a response from a LucasArts representative that sounds slightly more hopeful!

"LucasArts remains absolutely committed to the Indiana Jones franchise. While we are aware that fans have been eagerly awaiting additional information on the upcoming game, they can rest assured that details are forthcoming."

Thanks to Andrew, Mark, Matthew, David Medina and Ed Dolista for pointing out this news story.

Source: IGN and Joystiq

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

Temple of Spheres game screenshot.

The makers of the upcoming freeware point & click adventure fangame Indiana Jones and the Fountain of Youth have just released a mini-adventure game on their website. Their way of wishing everybody a happy 2009!

Try now and help Indy escape from one very nice looking room! Completely in the the style of the beloved Fate of Atlantis game.

Thanks and best wishes to 'Screen 7' for creating this mini-adventure Indy game and their upcoming Indiana Jones and the Fountain of Youth!

Posted by Gilles V

Although the source is vague -- why YouTube and no mention at the official LucasArts site? -- the trailer itself looks much promising with its 100% pre-rendered cinematic action (meaning no in-game footage) and a very nice resemblance of a younger Harrison Ford.

While most fans are happy with this new Staff of Kings game trailer, there is some disappointment present as to why LucasArts is not releasing this game on the "next gen" Xbox 360 and PS3.

Jason at the great Mixnmojo has the following to say on this "next gen" matter:

This trailer would seem to confirm suspicions that the internally developed, Euphoria-enabled 360/PS3 version that has been in some stage of development for five years has been scrapped, and that LEC is now going to simply publish the 3rd party Wii, PS2, and handheld ports that did not suffer the same production problems. ...

Visit Mixnmojo to read the full article.

Thanks to Greg Mills, Josh Hannah, Mitchell Hallock, Bernd, Mark, 'Whipdude', and Jan de Haan for informing us.

Sources: YouTube, Shacknews, Kotaku, Gametrailers and Joystiq

Posted by Gilles V

March issue cover of Nintendo Power - USA.

The March issue of USA's official Nintendo Power magazine will have a first look at LucasArts' next Indy adventure; Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings.

Not much other info is know about the "changed" game other than LucasArts' unconfirmed plans to publish it on the Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2 and PSP.

Looking forward to what Nintendo Power magazine will reveal in their upcoming exclusive Indiana Jones preview!

Thanks to Mark and IndyJones.net for the news.

Posted by Gilles V

Step into the shoes of the legendary hero, Indiana Jones, in an all new epic adventure! Set in the year 1939, Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings follows the rogue archaeologist on an all-new globe-trotting quest.

From San Francisco's Chinatown to the lush jungles of Panama, Indy must use his whip, fists and wits to fight through ruthless opposition as he spars with his nemesis, Magnus Völler, in a race for a relic of biblical proportions - the Staff of Moses.

Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings features completely interactive environments, where players need to call upon their wits and daring to make each spring-loaded environment a weapon in order to dispense of foes in clever and unexpected ways. Also, embark upon thrilling action sequences that remain true to the spirit established in scenes such as Indy's pursuit of the motorcade in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the mine-cart scene in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and the free-for-all aboard the tank in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Product Information

• Wield your Wii Remote like Indy's signature whip for a variety of uses - from combat to navigation to puzzle-solving.
• Use your highly interactive Hot Set environments and your wits to defeat your enemies.
• Explore exotic locations around the globe in an all-new story that puts you on an epic quest for the Staff of Moses.
• Apply your smarts to navigate Indy through challenging terrains with the many maneuvers Indy can do with his whip.
• Engage in burst gunplay moments and use careful aim and the environment to take out enemies.
• Face overwhelming odds and escape signature run-for-your-life moments, like a daring escape from a collapsing temple, by matching fast-paced onscreen gesture prompts.
• Experience thrilling chases and control vehicles - fly a biplane in a canyon trench, take the reigns of a wild elephant through the streets of Istanbul and navigate a raft down a raging river.
• Cooperative gameplay mode allows you and a friend to brave the challenges in a variety of game modes in an entirely new quest with a familiar character never playable before in an Indy game.
• Unlock four-player versus mode where you and your friends go head-to-head in a real biplane combat or take on three of your friends in a free for all tank battle!
• Whether you are brawling baddies or wielding your whip, use the Wii Remote and Nunchuk as nature intended with the intuitive gesture-based combat system.
• Discover more than 20 artifacts and rewarding unlockables throughout the game.
• For those old-school gamers there is nothing better than unlocking the classic Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis game!
• On the Nintendo DS, use the stylus as the whip to swing over pits, brawl with enemies and to explore the world.
• The PSP (PlayStation Portable) system version features six robust types of burst gameplay including combat and physics challenges, puzzles and the trademark Indiana Jones chase sequences.

Visit the official LucasArts website to view the exciting game trailer in High Res Quicktime. More info on the game can also be found at our Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings page.

For a first look at the game, check out the March issue of Nintendo Power.

Thanks to Andrew, Timi P, Matthew Bell, Mitchell Hallock, and especially LucasArts for the info.

Posted by Gilles V

Staff of Kings cover art.

The official Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings video game box art has made its way online and you can find a good quality version of it at Mixnmojo right now!

Now about the "late spring 2009" release date. It appears Indy fans in Europe will be the first to buy and play the Staff of Kings! According to United Kingdom's Amazon store, the game will be released on 22 May 2009. While the USA version of Amazon only announces the new game for June 2nd, 2009.
Amazon also has the cover for the Staff of Kings Prima strategy guide up. Which is actually identical to the game box art here above.

Scans of Nintendo Power Magazine's Staff of Kings preview can be found at our The Raven forums. With special thanks to 'EvilDevo'.

And last but not least; Rob McGregor's eager awaited novelization of Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings will be published sometime later this year. We will keep you informed!

Posted by Gilles V

LucasArts has also confirmed that Staff of Kings will be whipping into stores in the USA on June 9th.
Rumors mention that the game will be released in the UK & Europe on June 12th, but we are still awaiting confirmation on that.

Thanks to Xavier Arijs for the gameplay trailer link.

Posted by Gilles V

And here follows an excerpt from GameSpot's first look:

Staff of Kings appears to be heading in the right direction in terms of keeping the classic Indiana Jones feel. The script got the seal of approval from George Lucas as well as Steven Spielberg, and parts of John Williams' movie score is included as well for you to hum along to. We didn't get a chance to mess around with the controls, but we were told that heavy action sequences are spaced out enough so that you shouldn't get tired from excessive motion control.

More gameplay videos can be found on GameSpot here.
Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings will arrive in stores on June 9th, 2009!

Thanks to Xavier Arijs for the link.

Posted by Gilles V

There you will not only get an overview of the game, taken from Dr. Jones own journal, but explore other areas of the website including cool avatars (check out the ugly mug on "Juggernaut"), wallpaper, screenshots, videos, trailers and even a widget.

So what are you waiting for? Start oiling up that whip and get on your leather jacket and have the adventure of life keeping up with Jones

You can also find Staff of Kings on Facebook and MySpace.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

LucasArts and TT Games Don Their Fedoras for the Next Great LEGO Gaming Experience.

LEGO Indy 2 key art.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - May 29, 2009 - LucasArts and TT Games today announced that LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues will whip onto Wii, Nintendo DS, PLAYSTATION3 computer entertainment system, PSP (PlayStationPortable) system, Xbox 360video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows in the Fall of 2009. Developed by the same team at Traveller's Tales that created the award-winning LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures and the LEGO Star Wars series, LEGO Indiana Jones 2 presents a tongue-in-cheek take on all four cinematic adventures of pop culture's most iconic archaeologist, including for the first time ever Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and will give players the ability to create levels of their own!

"LucasArts and TT Games continue to set the bar for next-generation family entertainment with the LEGO Indiana Jones franchise," said Darrell Rodriguez, president of LucasArts. "LEGO Indiana Jones 2 delivers something a little different for everyone. Parents will enjoy the humorous take on the classic moments from their favorite movies, and their kids have an opportunity to experience the most authentic LEGO experience by building their own fun levels brick by brick."

"It has been a real joy to work with LucasArts on such an iconic character. Indiana Jones embodies the adventurous spirit that perfectly suits the LEGO world," said Tom Stone, director at TT Games. "Indy also presents us with wonderful and memorable cinematic moments."

LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues combines the fun and creative construction of LEGO bricks with the wits, daring and non-stop action of one of cinema's most beloved adventure heroes. With a unique, tongue-in-cheek take on all the Indiana Jones films — including for the first time ever Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull — LEGO Indiana Jones 2 follows Dr. Jones' escapades from the jungles of South America to the Peruvian Ruins and beyond.
Fans can experience the most authentic LEGO experience yet by designing and building their own levels brick by brick, and by fusing their levels with the ones in the game to create a custom experience. In LEGO Indiana Jones 2, everyone can build, battle and brawl their way through their favorite cinematic moments — or create their own.

Game Information

• For the first time ever in a LEGO game, Build Your Own Adventure Mode allows you to create your own levels and environments and share them with your friends.
• For the ultimate and most authentic LEGO experience, you can create your own levels and combine them with the existing ones in the game.
• Play all new Kingdom of the Crystal Skull characters such as Mutt Williams on his motorcycle and use special abilities, including Oxley's Crystal Skull Power.
• Innovative re-tellings of the classic movies (Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) with all new objectives and brand new levels. For example, this time you can play through the exciting vehicle chase in Shanghai with Short Round.
• Beat each level in Story mode and return in Free Play for a completely new adventure.
• Indy has all new animations, such as grabbing an enemy with his whip then throwing him over his shoulder.
• Jump into all new vehicles to help Indy get through all the new levels including planes, boats and mine carts — but watch out for the quicksand!
• Use Indy's newly enhanced whip to interact with Lego objects and help unlock iconic puzzles and battle with enemies.
• Use a variety of weapons from the environment to fight enemies (e.g., chairs, guns, swords, bottles).
• Collect artifacts through the game to unlock more than 60 playable characters, including villains and supporting characters (Marion Ravenwood, Mutt Williams, Short Round, Rene Belloq, Willie Scott, Marcus Brody, Dr. Henry Jones Sr. and Irina Spalko).
• Character swapping and free-play abilities
• Two-player drop-in, drop-out cooperative gameplay encourages parents to share the legacy of Indiana Jones with their children in a fun and humorous way.

For more information on LEGO Indiana Jones, please visit www.legoindianajonesgame.com.

Thanks to LucasArts and Xavier Arijs for the press release.

Posted by Gilles V

Definitely visit the Staff of Kings website (or Facebook) and see both the Joneses fighting and puzzle solving their way through the game. Looks like the perfect game to play together with your family!

Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings comes out in North America on Tuesday, June 9th!

Posted by Gilles V

The book and the game were originally scheduled to come out in June of 2008, simultaneously with Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Both were pushed back to the fall of '08, then June '09 as the Indy operation underwent a shake-up.
After that, the game and book were pushed back yet another year to June of '10. But then the ambitious plans for a new Indy game platform were dropped, and the new video game was moved back to June '09 using the current game platform.

Thus with the video game coming out in two weeks, and the book a year later, they decided to cancel it. Which is all too bad as a game is not a novel.

The only other new and upcoming Indy novels we know about are the two young reader adventures Indiana Jones and the Mystery of Mount Sinai and Indiana Jones and the Pyramid of the Sorcerer released earlier this month. And all older fans still have the upcoming Indiana Jones and the Army of the Dead to look out for when it arrives in stores on September 29, 2009.

Posted by Gilles V

Here follow the first Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings game reviews found online. And while many people expected a flawed game, due to its production history and disappointing graphics, the first reviews are all very positive!

For more information visit LucasArts' official Staff of Kings website or our own Staff of Kings webpage.

Staff of Kings arrives in Europe this Friday, June 12.

Stay tuned as more reviews will be posted as they arrive.

Posted by Gilles V

Now when we will start seeing the TV ads for Indiana Jones 5 - hint - hint!

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

Journal & Courier - reviewed by Doug Elfman:

... while this is a better-than-decent Wii game, it doesn't give you many choices to make on your own, and that makes Staff of Kings feel like an artifact of games of yore.

Kansas City Star - reviewed by Billy O'Keefe:

Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings is, when its ideas are working, a crazy good time that deftly embodies the spirit of the films. That's a good thing, too, because when its ideas aren't working, Kings is a mess teetering on collapse.

The Washington Times - reviewed by Joseph Szadkowski:

Despite the hefty package of extras and fairly successful use of Wii interaction, I couldn't get past the mediocre visuals and some of the repetitive level difficulty. It's hard to believe the company that came out with Jedi Unleashed on the Wii could not find a better way to present Staff of Kings. It has all the history and fun of an Indiana Jones adventure but is just too hard on the wrists and eyes.

Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings arrives in Europe tomorrow, June 12th.

For more information visit LucasArts' official Staff of Kings website or our own Staff of Kings webpage.

Posted by Gilles V

For more information visit LucasArts' official Staff of Kings website or our own Staff of Kings webpage.

Posted by Gilles V

In this first round of releases, ten fan-favorite LucasArts PC games will be made available Wednesday, July 8 on Steam, Valve Corporation's delivery and management platform for the PC. Scheduled for release are classic adventure titles like LOOM and The Dig and hit action games including Star Wars Battlefront II and Star Wars Republic Commando.

The complete list of games to be released on July 8 via Steam includes:

• Armed and Dangerous
• Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
• Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade: The Graphic Adventure
• LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventure
• LOOM
• Star Wars Battlefront II
• Star Wars Republic Commando
• Star Wars Starfighter
• The Dig
• Thrillville: Off the Rails

"This effort is going to make it possible to introduce a whole new generation of gamers to LucasArts' classic games," said Darrell Rodriguez, president of LucasArts. "It also gives more people a chance to play our games by making them available long after they've disappeared from store shelves. We hope our fans are as excited as we are about our plans and we can't wait to share what's coming next. This is just the beginning."

This series of launches continues LucasArts' new mission to revitalize its deep portfolio of beloved gaming franchises.

LucasArts previously announced the return of the classic Monkey Island franchise with two new projects due to be released in the near future. Tomorrow, July 7, Telltale will premiere the Tales of Monkey Island game series on PC, delivering a completely new epic storyline and swashbuckling flair that will unfold across five monthly episodes. The first Tales of Monkey Island chapter is expected to release for WiiWare in the coming weeks as well.

The Monkey Island celebration continues on July 15 when LucasArts publishes The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition, a completely re-imagined version of the first game in the series that adds updated high definition graphics, a re-mastered musical score, and full voiceover to the classic adventure game originally launched in 1990. The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition will be made available on Xbox LIVE Arcade for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PC via Steam and other online distribution channels.

Posted by Gilles V

Gaming site Joystiq mentions that Steam is offering a previously unreleased version of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade... a version with "even more bugfixes"!

With thanks to Mixnmojo for keeping us well-informed.

Posted by Gilles V

G4 spoke with LucasArts' Jeff Shell at GamesCom 2009 about LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues, that video game where a famous movie character is portrayed as made of plastic LEGO blocks.
According to Shell, part 2 is a not a remake or rehash.

"This is a true, legitimate sequel," Shell told us. "We've taken all the aspects of the original game and brought those original adventures back to the sequel in a new way, so you won't be replaying any of the scenes from the first game… It's completely re-told."

We also got the inside word and an early look at LEGO Indy 2's builder mode that allows for the creation of original levels, the game's massive improvement to the hub system, and a look at the new split-screen that allows co-op players to separate as far as they want. At last! Plus, LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues contains exciting scenes and characters from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The game comes out across platforms this fall.

This game will no doubt fill the hunger Indyfans were left with after the so-so Indy and Staff of Kings video game that came out this year! So get the buttons a clicking... Indy's coming back!

Source: G4

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

Indiana Jones and the Lost Puzzles introduces an original puzzle mechanic that is easy to pick up, breeze to control, and fun to play. Connect tiles of same color to create as long chains as possible. Avoid snakes, collect power-ups, and master the challenges of different shaped rooms and varied level goals to make your way through the ruins and maximize the treasure.

Three different game modes make sure that everyone finds their match. From the Simple Puzzle mode without extra bells and whistles to Ruins of Adventure mode, introducing numerous twists and a long-term goal of exploring an ancient ruin, Indiana Jones and the Lost Puzzles offers unmatched fun and deeply enjoyable challenge to all gamers.

You can read a review of Lost Puzzles online at Pocket Gamer.

Posted by Gilles V

While the release of LEGO Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues (for PC, Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii) is still a few weeks away the cool folks at LucasArts are giving us a peak of the electronic fun with this new trailer!

View the trailer online at StarWars.com.

Click here to visit the official LEGO Indiana Jones 2 website.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

Indiana Jones' Greatest Adventures (SNES, 1 player, 800 Wii Points): Before Lego Indiana Jones took a stab at the three original films, there was this SNES classic. You'll play through classic moments from the movies, such as the boulder chase from Raiders of the Lost Ark and the mine cart chase from Temple of Doom.

So, return to a time when the only Next Generation meant Star Trek, the word "Wii" was still just a pronoun or French for "yes" and Indy battled 64 bit enemies without the help of Mutt Williams!

And be sure to check out Nintendo Life for their review of the game.

Posted by Mitchell Hallock

Developed by Traveller's Tales and published by LucasArts, LEGO Indiana Jones 2 is now available at retailers for Wii, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, PSP (PlayStation Portable) system, Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows.

For more information visit the official LEGO Indiana Jones 2 website!
Or you can always check out our own Video Games section.

Posted by Gilles V